Floating ice-sawing machine.



H. D. PRATT.

FLOATINGJCE SAWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man JULY 8. m5.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

H D. PRATT.

FLOATING ICE SAWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8,19l5.

Patented Dec. 12,1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

HOWELL D. PRATT, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'IO LINK-BELT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FLOATING ICE-SAWING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

Application fi1ed July 8, 1915. Serial No. 38,880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWELL D. PRATT, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Floating Ice-Sawing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in machines for sawing natural ice on a lake or pond.

The object of my invention is to provide a floating structure on which the saws are mounted so that the saws will always have a given relation to the block of ice being out. In this instance, both the block of ice and the saws are floated on the surface of the water.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure 1, is an end view of my improved ice sawing machine; Fig. 2, is a side view; Fig. 3, is a plan view; and Fig. 4 is a view illustrating a modification.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a frame, preferably constructed of metal beams, and this frame is made in two sections 2 and 3 spaced apart to form a channel 4 for the passage of the blocks of ice. Mounted in each section of the frame are cylinders 5, either of metal or of wood. These cylinders are air tight and act as floats for the structure. In the present instance I have shown two of these cylinders in each section, but it will be understood that any number of cylinders may be employed, according to the size of the apparatus and its weight.

At the inner edge of each section is a standard 6 and extending from one standard to another is an overhead beam 7 consisting of two channel bars, as shown in Fig. 2. Diagonal braces 8 at each side of the stand ard rigidly support it. There is a beam 10 at the bottom of the structure extending from one section to the other at such a depth as to clear the ice. The two beams 7 and 10 rigidly hold the two sections of the structure together.

11 is the saw frame arranged to slide on the standard 6 and the saw frame can be adjusted vertically by a screw 12 and hand wheel 13 towhich it is connected, or any other suitable vertically adjustable means may be used without departing from the essential features of the invention. Adapted to bearings in the saw frame is a shaft 1% on which the circular saws 15 are mounted. These saws are preferably adjustable longitudinally on the shaft so that the saws can cut blocks of ice of different widths.

16 is an electric motor which drives the saw shaft 14 and, in the present instance, the saw shaft is driven from the motor shaft by a chain 17. Guide rails 18 may be provided, either secured to the saw frame or to the main frame, and these rails are so located as to hold a block of ice in a substantially straight line while the saws are cutting.

While I have shown the guides in the particular location illustrated in the drawings, they may be located in other positions so as to engage the block of ice in order to prevent it turning while the saws are making the cut.

By my invention special channels and foundations do not have to be formed at the bank of the lake or pond and care need not be exercised as to regulating the height so as to accommodate the change in the height of the water. The structure floats on the surface of the water and the channel is of sufiicient width to receive a comparatively large block of ice which is cut in the usual manner from the field of ice. The floating structure can be located at any point desired and can be held by ropes, anchors, or other suitable means. The block of ice can be floated to the saws and passed thereunder, cutting the block into as many sections as desired. Then the block is passed through another similar machine and a series of kerfs are cut at right angles to the first series, dividing the large block of ice into a number of smaller blocks.

While I have shown an electric motor, other motive power may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention. The structure being self contained and portable, it can be drawn up to the bank of the river, lake or pond after the harvesting is finished so as to be out of danger of destruction due to the usual floods following the breaking up of the ice. This is especially so when ice is harvested on a river. A machine located at the bank of the river in such a position that it can cut ice fed to it must be dismantled or protected against the ice flows, which generally follow the breaking up of the ice.

While the saws 15 are illustrated in Fig. 2 above the water they may be suspended beneath the water to cut the bottom side of V V i a v 1,208,648

the ice, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and while I have described my invention as using cylinders'for the floating structure, it will be understood that barges or similar floating structures 5 Fig. 4, may be used instead of the cylinders, without departing from the essential features of the invention.

I claim 1. The combination of a floating structure made in two sections spaced apart and connected and forming a channel for the ice; and a series of saws-located in the channel and arranged to cut the ice in the channel.

2. The combination of a floating structure made in two sections spaced apart and connected; a saw frame vertically adjustable on the structure and extending across the channel; a shaft; a series of circular saws on the shaft; bearings on the frame carrying the shaft; and means for driving the saws.

3. The combination in a floating structure, of two sections spaced apart to form a channel and connected by two beams, one

and driving mechanism between the motor and the saw shaft.

HOWELL D. PRATT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. 7 a Washington, I). G. 

